Multimedia

Narratives

Site Information

Who's Who - Ludwig von Schroder

Ludwig von Schroder (1854-1933)
commanded German naval forces along the Belgian coast during the First World
War.

The outbreak of war in
August 1914 resulted in Schroder's emergence from retirement, and was given
responsibility for German naval forces along the Belgian coast. A
division of Schroder's marines played a role in the capture of Antwerp in
October 1914.

Schroder's force was
consequently expanded to corps size, although the German advance was brought
to a standstill at the Yser in December 1914.

From that point onwards
until October 1918 Schroder spent the majority of his time overseeing the
defence of Germany's recently-secured naval bases at
Bruges, Ostend and
Zeebrugge.

His role in throwing back a
concerted British raid at Zeebrugge on 23 April 1918 was widely publicised
in the German press, earning Schroder the nickname 'the Lion of Flanders'.

As a consequence of the
Allies' Courtrai Offensive in October 1918 Schroder's force was obliged to
move eastwards. The following month he retired.

Awarded the prestigious
Pour le Merite in October 1915 and the Oakleaves in December 1917, Ludwig
von Schroder died in 1933.

Sponsored Links

Saturday, 22 August, 2009Michael Duffy

"ANZAC" was coined in 1915 from the initials of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.